Starke Circuit Court Judge Sentences Two in Proceedings Friday

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall sentenced two in court Friday morning.

Amber Bottorff

Judge Hall accepted a plea agreement submitted for Amber Bottorff where she plead guilty to a charge of Maintaining a Common Nuisance, a Class D Felony. As part of the agreement, a charge of Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Class B Felony was dropped. As part of her sentence, she will serve 18 months on home detention.

On December 31st, 2010, North Judson Police were requested to assist the Starke County Community Corrections team while they were conducting a home inspection. After checking on a detainee in the 5900 block of U-road, officers made a discovery of an active Methamphetamine Lab. North Judson Officer, Mat Anderson, arrested Amber Rae Bottorff, 21, of North Judson for Manufacturing of Methamphetamine and Maintaining a Common Nuisance.

Erica Bailey

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Knox City Police Department Investigates Theft of Steel from Railroad

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox City Police Department is investigating the theft of steel from the Norfolk and Southern Rail property on US 35 in Knox.

On Tuesday, February 15th, the police department received a complaint of individuals stealing metal from the property. Shortly after the call, a deputy from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department located the suspect vehicle southbound on US 35 and conducted a traffic stop. The stolen property was recovered in the suspect vehicle. Two North Judson men were arrested in the incident and taken to the Starke County Jail. They have preliminary charges of Theft and Trespass on Railroad Property.

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City of Knox Primary Election Filing Deadline is Today

Posted on Author WKVI

The filing deadline for candidates seeking office in the 2011 Municipal Primary Election for the City of Knox is at Noon today. Candidates seeking office in Hamlet and North Judson have until August 1st to file.

Two people filed in the Starke County Clerk’s Office yesterday. Jane Ellen Felchuck, a Democrat, filed for the North Judson Town Board District 1 seat, a position she now holds on the Board. Kristina Pitts filed on the Democrat ticket for Hamlet Town Clerk-Treasurer.

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Pastor Tim Miller to Leave Our Redeemer Lutheran Church

Posted on Author WKVI
Tim Miller

The Pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Knox will be moving after being in the pulpit for 24 years. He is going to be the Pastor at the Clear Lake Lutheran Church in Freemont, Indiana and will be moving to the area in the next two months.

Pastor Miller followed Pastor Joseph Townsend and is only the fourth Pastor to minister at the church.

We’ll be interviewing Pastor Miller next week, giving him an opportunity to talk about the highlights of his pastorate in Knox.

Today’s ‘Ted Hayes Remembers’ Show to Feature the old Sears Store in Downtown Knox

Posted on Author WKVI
Dick Pettinato

This is Friday, and at 12:20 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. CT, Ted Hayes will travel down memory lane to a time when Sears of Knox was located downtown. Bud Straight was the Manager and Dick Pettinato the Assistant Manager. It was a time when Sears had a huge staff of almost 40 people and sold everything imaginable.

Dick Pettinato will help Ted remember those days. There were so many people at the store that the customers confused the brand names for employees.

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Dwayne Clemons Sentenced in Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI
Dwayne Clemons

Starke County Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall accepted a plea agreement Wednesday for Dwayne Clemons. Clemons plead guilty to two felony charges for an incident that occurred June 27th, 2009. Two other charges were dismissed.

In that incident, Clemons was charged with firing shots into a van carrying Jessie Sparks and a 9 year old girl. The shooting occurred after a physical altercation between Clemons and Sparks.

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Discussion Held Concerning Next Step for North Judson-San Pierre Marching Band

Posted on Author WKVI
The North Judson-San Pierre marching band performs in a contest in October

The North Judson-San Pierre School Board did not make a decision concerning the future of the marching band program at its meeting this week.

Superintendent Lynn Johnson told WKVI that she gathered information on cost and number of students in other marching bands and presented that information to the Board. Several community members, parents and students attended the meeting and voiced their opinions and concerns about the marching band. The Board hopes to work with the students and the band department to keep the program alive in the future. Future meetings will entail planning and restructuring the marching band program to make it a sustainable program.

Knox City Police Arrest Knox Woman on Drug Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Dawn Mann

Knox City Police arrested Dawn Mann, of Knox, on preliminary charges of False Informing and Possession of Methamphetamine after a Monday traffic stop.

Knox police officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Jason Johnson of Knox. Police found that Jason had a warrant and arrested him. Since the passenger was drinking, she was allowed to contact someone to drive her home. The officer released the woman who said her name was Dawn Johnson. It was later discovered Dawn Johnson was actually Dawn Mann and she had several warrants through Starke and Marshall Counties.

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Pulaski County Officer Named Indiana Department of Homeland Security Task Force Commander

Posted on Author WKVI
Ron Patrick (L) and IDHS Executive Director Joe Wainscott

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security has announced that 10 commanders are now in place to continue development of the regional emergency response task forces evolving into a statewide network of emergency support.

Ron Patrick, Chief Deputy of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, has been named as the Task Force Commander for District 2. The commanders are responsible for overseeing daily administrative operations, and recruiting resources to establish and expand the capabilities of the task force they oversee.

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North Judson Town Board Considering Snow Emergency Parking Ordinance

Posted on Author WKVI
North Judson Town Board: Dan Anderson, Wendy Hoppe, Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassie Hine and Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller

The North Judson Town Board is considering a parking ordinance in case of a snow emergency. The recent snow event proved problematic for the Street Department to push snow off the town streets around parked cars. The Board commended the Street Department on their efforts and thanked Doug O’Donnell and Jim Menis for offering their personal vehicles to assist in snow removal for the town.

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Testimony Heard on Mint Distillery Bill

Posted on Author WKVI
Charles Weaver
Charles Weaver

Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, testified last week on a legislative bill that would lessen the requirement for mint farmers of having to acquire burdensome permits and regulations that could force them to not continue in that farming field. According to Weaver’s testimony, none of the mint farmers in Starke County know if they will be able to extract the oil from the crop because of the permit issue.

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North Judson Town Board Approves Additional Match Money for Railroad Projects

Posted on Author WKVI
North Judson Town Board: Dan Anderson, Wendy Hoppe, Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassie Hine and Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller

The North Judson Town Board approved a request by the Railroad Committee to increase the Town’s match for grants for railroad improvements. The extra money will come out of the railroad fund. The IRSF grant match was previously approved for $48,175 and the Railroad Committee needed an additional $13,423. The request was approved for a total grant match of $61,598. With the Town’s grant match, the total IRSF grant will be approximately $233,000. The Railroad Committee is also applying for a T-Grant and the town’s match will be $20,540 which will also come out of the railroad fund.

The grant money will be used to rebuild railroad crossings, install drainage pipes, railroad ties, switches, and many other improvements.

Culver Community School Corporation Mourns Death of High School Business Teacher

Posted on Author WKVI
Michael Schwartz

The Culver Community School Corporation is mourning the death of high school business teacher, Michael Schwartz. He passed away at the age of 57, Saturday, at his residence in Plymouth.

According to Principal Albert Hanselman, Schwartz was a avid sports fan who had attempted to visit every big league baseball park in his lifetime. He was a Dodgers fan, although he said the Cubs were his second favorite.

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30 Meth Labs Dismantled in Starke County by the Indiana State Police in 2010

Posted on Author WKVI

The Indiana State Police-Lowell and Bremen Districts released methamphetamine lab statistics from the counties they serve. 6 meth labs have been seized by the Department in LaPorte County and in Pulaski County, 6 in Jasper County, 7 in White County, 16 in Fulton County, 15 in Cass County, and 53 in Marshall County.

30 meth labs were seized by Indiana State Police in Starke County.

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Friday’s ‘Ted Hayes Remembers’ Show to Feature the old Sears Store in Downtown Knox

Posted on Author WKVI
Dick Pettinato

If you remember when downtown Knox was a vibrant shopping area, you probably remember the huge Sears Store that employed several dozen employees.

Dick Pettinato was one of those employees, and this week Mr. Pettinato will be Ted Hayes’ guest on “Ted Hayes Remembers”. The program can be heard at 12:20 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. CT each Friday on WKVI-FM.